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José Luis Rodríguez was born in Caracas, Venezuela to José Antonio Rodríguez from the Canary Islands, Spain and Ana González a Venezuelan housewife. He lost his father at the age of six, and was raised by his mother (an illiterate then, learned to read as an adult in order to read the Bible) along with 11 brothers and sisters. He grew up in very modest conditions, having to shine shoes, and pack bags in a supermarket for a living at an early age. Without an academic formation, he shaped himself as a singer and actor by empirical means.

As his mother participated in the revolt against Marcos Pérez Jiménez (holding weapons and hiding politicians in her home), Rodríguez lived in exile in Ecuador with her and his brother, for a couple of years.

Rodríguez surfaced in his homeland in the late 1960s and early 1970s, and was able to build a fan base there. He also participated in a famous commercial, along with his family during that time. Rodríguez went to Puerto Rico, where he participated in the TelenovelaCristina Bazán, alongside Johanna Rosaly and young Adamari López. It was whilst there that he received his nickname, El Puma. Later, he also made the telenovela, El ídolo, with Cuban actress Marylin Pupo, playing Omar Contreras (a.k.a. El Puma).

Rodríguez's main money revenue, however, was his singing career. His hits included Dueño de nada, Pavo real and Agárrense de las manos. With the second, he caused controversy at the 1982 contest of Miss Universe, which was being held in Atlanta, a city in the Southern United States; the song's main issue was interracial marriage.

Later, Rodríguez participated in the Spanish version of Meet the Robinsons, La Familia del Futuro, as Wilbur Robinson's father. El Puma also starred in an advertising campaign for Wrigley's Eclipse gum,[1] with the spot drawing on his persona, using humor and kitsch to highlight the tagline, "Libera el Puma que hay en tí" (Free the puma within).

In May 2009, Rodriguez joined the cast of the miniseries, Gabriel, produced for the Hispanic audience in the United States by Megafilms and transmitted by Mega TV. The miniseries, released in November of the same year is based on the themes of vampirism and ocultism.[2]

In July 2012 he was a judge and voice trainer on La Voz... Argentina (Argentine version of The Voice) that was broadcast on Telefe.[3] Along with co-presenters Fernán Martínez and Carolina Ramírez, he served as a judge on a dance programme called La Pista which was aired on Caracol TV in Colombia.

In August 2013, Rodríguez was part of the first season of La Voz Perú, where he was coach for one of the four teams. On December 20 one of his pupils, young Daniel Lazo, placed first in the competition, making Rodríguez the first winning coach in the history of La Voz Perú.[4][5]

In September 2013 in an interview with the Peruvian newspaper, La República, Rodríguez expressed that he would continue to perform music but cease to produce records because of piracy.[6][7]

Rodríguez was married to Lila Morillo and is the father of actresses Lilibeth Morillo, Liliana Rodriguez, and Génesis Rodríguez. Although never legally recognized, he is believed to be the father of Juan José Rodríguez; a salsa singer that followed in the career footsteps of José Luis and goes by the nickname "El Pumita."